Exodus 28:21
in Exodus 28The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.
KJV
And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
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This verse in Exodus 28
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Ambrose of MilanExposition of the Christian Faith 2, INTRODUCTION 4 · Written before 397.
Of these twelve, as of twelve precious stones, is the pillar of our faith built up. For these are the precious stones—sardius, jasper, smaragd, chrysolite, and the rest—woven into the robe of holy Aaron, even of him who bears the likeness of Christ, that is, of the true Priest. [These] stones [are] set in gold and inscribed with the names of the sons of Israel, twelve stones close joined and fitting one into another, for if any should sunder or separate them, the whole fabric of the faith falls in ruins.
This site's exposition
set in it settings of stones
on Exodus 28:17-21
Twelve stones in four rows carry the twelve names, one name to a stone, each cut like the engraving of a signet. The shoulder stones grouped the names six and six by birth order, while here every tribe has its own stone and its own place in the setting. Revelation 21:14 and 21:19-20 set twelve foundation stones in the wall of the city with the names of the twelve apostles upon them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But why was it that [Christ] chose twelve apostles, and not some other number? In truth, I might from this very point conclude of my Christ that he was foretold not only by the words of prophets but by the embodied language of facts. For of this number I find figurative hints up and down the Creator's dispensation in the twelve springs of Elim; in the twelve gems of Aaron's priestly vestment; and in the twelve stones appointed by Joshua to be taken out of the Jordan and set up for the ark of the covenant.
And on the breast of the high priest were certain stones hanging, twelve in number, in the midst of which were placed two other stones, manifestation and truth. By means of a riddle through these the chorus of the holy apostles is clearly signified being, as it were, in a circle around Emmanuel, who is manifestation and truth. For he manifested the truth by having taken away the worship of God in shadows and in types.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Some question whether Levi had a precious stone with his name or no. If not, Ephraim and Manasseh were reckoned distinct, as Jacob had said they should be, and the high priest himself, being head of the tribe of Levi, sufficiently represented that tribe. If there was a stone for Levi, as is intimated by this, that they were engraven according to their birth (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names,.... And just so many are reckoned up in the preceding verses, each of which had one or other of the names of the children of Israel engraved on them, according to the order of their names in their birth.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work--a very splendid and richly embroidered piece of brocade, a span square, and doubled, to enable it the better to bear the weight of the precious stones in it.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְ֠הָאֲבָנִים | vehaavanim | and the stones | H68 → | 273 times |
| תִּֽהְיֶ֜יןָ | tihyeina | they will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שְׁמֹ֧ת | shemot | [the] names of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| בְּנֵֽי־ | benei- | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| שְׁתֵּ֥ים | sheteim | two [plus] | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה | ʾesreh | ten | H6240 → | 338 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שְׁמֹתָ֑ם | shemotam | names their | H8034 → | 864 times |
| פִּתּוּחֵ֤י | pituchei | [the] engravings of | H6603 → | 11 times |
| חוֹתָם֙ | chotam | a seal | H2368 → | 14 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | each one | H376 → | 1663 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שְׁמ֔וֹ | shemo | name its | H8034 → | 864 times |
| תִּֽהְיֶ֕יןָ | tihyeina | they will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִשְׁנֵ֥י | lishnei | for [the] two [plus] | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עָשָׂ֖ר | ʾasar | ten | H6240 → | 338 times |
| שָֽׁבֶט׃ | shavet | tribe[s] | H7626 → | 190 times |
וְ֠הָאֲבָנִיםand the stones
vehaavanimH68 →273 times
תִּֽהְיֶ֜יןָthey will be
tihyeinaH1961 →3559 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שְׁמֹ֧ת[the] names of
shemotH8034 →864 times
בְּנֵֽי־[the] sons of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
שְׁתֵּ֥יםtwo [plus]
sheteimH8147 →768 times
עֶשְׂרֵ֖הten
ʾesrehH6240 →338 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שְׁמֹתָ֑םnames their
shemotamH8034 →864 times
פִּתּוּחֵ֤י[the] engravings of
pitucheiH6603 →11 times
חוֹתָם֙a seal
chotamH2368 →14 times
אִ֣ישׁeach one
ʾishH376 →1663 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שְׁמ֔וֹname its
shemoH8034 →864 times
תִּֽהְיֶ֕יןָthey will be
tihyeinaH1961 →3559 times
לִשְׁנֵ֥יfor [the] two [plus]
lishneiH8147 →768 times
עָשָׂ֖רten
ʾasarH6240 →338 times
שָֽׁבֶט׃tribe[s]
shavetH7626 →190 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 12:15
And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.
- 1 Peter 1:1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen
- John 7:35
At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the…
- Acts 8:1
And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Acts 26:7
the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to realize as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.
- Ezekiel 12:15
Through
Revelation 21:12The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 48:31–34
Beginning on the north side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. On the north side there will be three gates: the…
- Ezekiel 48:31–34
Through
1 Kings 18:31And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”
it leads to
- 2 Kings 17:34
To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He…
- 2 Kings 17:34
Through
Luke 22:30so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
it leads to
- Matthew 19:28
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve…
- Matthew 19:28
Where this verse is studied
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On this verse
About Exodus
This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Christian Faith 2, INTRODUCTION 4; Cyril of Alexandria, LETTER 55.28; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, AGAINST MARCION 4.13.3-4.